Track-sanding apparatus.



A. H GARNES.

TRACK SANDING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 0M. 12. M14.

1,121,710, Patented Dec.22, 1914.

la 1| INVENTOR.

ALBERT H. CAR/v55 W dlv A TTY UNITED STATES ra rinvr OFFICE.

ALBERT H. CABNES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB. F ONE-HALF TO HUBLEY TAYLOR, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

. TRACKrS-ANDING APPARATUS.

2 7. 1. Specifica-tion of Letters Patent. Patented Dem 22 191%. Application fiia October 12, 1914. seriai No. 566,301.

To all whom it may concern: Show the preferred embodiment of my in- 55 Be it known that I, ALBERT H. Census, a vention, Figure 1 is an end view of a car citizen of the United States, residing at the equipped with a track-sanding apparatus city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have inembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an envented certain new and useful Improvelarged lOHg'itudinal sectional view of the ments in Track-Sanding Apparatus, of Compressed air supply or controlling valve 60 which the following is a specification, i'eferand its casing, the valve being shown in its ence being had to the accompanying drawnormal or closed position; Fig. 3 is a similar ings, forming a part thereof. View, the valve being shown in an intermedi- This invention relates to certain new and ate or partly open position; Fig. 4 is also a useful improvements in track-sanding appasimilar view, the valve being shown in its 65 ratus. abnormal or fully open position; Fig. 5 is In track-sanding apparatus, it is, for an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of many reasons, most important that sand the sand-hopper throat or chute and its imfrom the sand-box or hopper reach the rails mediately associated parts, the sand-supply quickly when and as required. Hence it is valve being shown in full lines in closed po- 70 necessary that the sand-supply valve be ca- Sition and in dotted lines in open position; pable of easy and ready actuation and that and Fig. 6 is a detail transverse sectional also the sand-delivery pipe or chute from view on approximately the line 6-4}, Fig, 5.

the sand-supply valve to the rails be clear Referring to the said drawings, n which and free of any obstructions to the passage like reference characters refer to like parts 75 of sand therethrough. Frequently the free throughout the several views, 1 indicates a and quick flow of sand to the rails has been sand-box or receptacle of any suitable form prevented in tracksanding apparatus as and construction operatively arranged upon heretofore generally constructed, so far as I a car C at any suitable point-preferably at am aware, due to wet or damp sand accumuthe front thereof. Preferably forming part so lating and packing in, and thereby clogging of, and leading downwardly from, sand-box up or choking, the sand-delivery pipe or 1 is an inverted cone-shaped portion or chute. sand-hopper 2 having threaded or otherwise With this premise, I may say that the secured thereto a downwardly-disposed principal object of my present invention is throat-portion or sand-chute A adapted, to providean efficient track-sanding appaeither directly or through a short pipe-exi-atus of comparatively simple form and contension 3, to lead the delivered or supplie struction having a normally closed sandsand to and upon the track or rail 4. Pref- 35 supply valve capable of being pneumatierably, to reduce manufacturing costs and cally actuated to open position and means also in order that needed or necessary refor directing a blast or flow of compressed pairs or the like may be conveniently and air or other fluid under pressure into and readily made, sand-chute A 18 constructed through the sand-delivery pipe or chute, for or formed in two parts, namely, an upper 40 the purpose of clearing the same of sand member 5 and a lower member 6, suitably which may have accumulated therein or of detachably connected as by means of bolts sand which may remain, and have a tendor the like 7, chute-members and 6 being ency to accumulate, therein, and hence obprovided with outwardiypIO] g regisstruct the passage of sand therethrough, tering ears 8-8 and 9-4), resp t y, t0

45 both in advance of the opening of the sandreceive the bolts 7 as clearly seen in Fig. -5.

supply valve and following the closing of I Pivotally swingable in sand-chute A at the same. the upper end of its lower member i ha With the above and other objects in view, might be called an unbalanced butter-fly my invention resides in certain novel feavalve adapted to control the supply ofsan a 50 tures of form, construction, arrangement, this valve comprising a disk 10 to which and combination of parts, all as will hereinis eecentrically fixed an axle or trunnions' after he described and afterward pointed 11 extending transversely, and loosely-arout in the claims. ranged for rotatory movement in the Wall,-

In the accompanying drawings, which of chute A. At one side, the wall of chute A at the base of its upper member 5 is interiorly for approximately half its circumference arcuately cut away, as at. 12, to permit ready swingable movement of valvedisk 10, the exposed portion of thevupper face of lower chute-member 6 providing an approximately semi-circular shoulder, as at 13, adapted to limit the movement of valvedisk 10 to closing position and upon which valve-disk 10 at its larger portion a is adapted to rest when in its normal or closed posi-- tion.- Suitably formed or provided on the inner face of the wall of lower chute-member 6 is an abutment or the like 14 adapted to limit the pivotal movement of valve-disk 10 when pneumatically actuated, as hereinafter appearing, to open position. Nor mally, under the overbalancing weight of its larger.- portion or part -a, valve-disk 10 will automatically swingably seat itself to extend transversely across the bore of chute A and prevent the passage of sand therethrough. At its side opposite said cut-away portion 12, upper chute-member 5 is preferably integrally provided longitudinally from adjacent its upper end to the lower end or base thereof with a thickened portion comprising external and internal bosses 15 and 16, respectively, for purposes hereinafter appearing, outer or external boss 15 being preferably rounded on its outer face,

as indicated in Fig. 6. Lower chute-member 6 is similarly provided at its upper end with an outwardly-presented enlargement or boss 17 forming an extension or continuation of external boss 15 of upper chutemember 5, as seen in Fig. 5. Below said enlargement or boss 17, lower chute-member 6 has preferably the form of an inverted cone to provide the chute longitudinally with a centrally-disposed contracted outlet or mouth, as at 18.

Inner or internal boss 16 of upper chutemember 5 at its base is approximately segmental in form in inverted plan view, as

, seen in Fig. 6, and preferably has an area somewhat less than half (approximately three-sevenths) of the inner area of chutemember 5, the normal bore of chute-member 5 being correspondingly reduced or contracted immediately in advance of valvedisk 10 and the greater part of the sand entering chute A from hopper 2 being adapted normally to bear upon portion a of valvedisk 10 and thereby hold valve-disk 10 to its seat in closed position. From its u per vend to adjacent the base thereof, inner oss 16 has an obliquely inwardly and downwardly disposed face, as at 19, so that sand entering chute or throat A may freely slide thereupon into the contracted or reduced iowesr or outlet portion of upperchute-memof the car convenient to the motorman or Suitably arranged preferably at the front anemic operator thereof, is an elongated tubular valve-casing 20, in which is operatively mounted to move longitudinally relatively thereto what might be called a double-acting slide-valve adapted to control the compressed air or other fluid .under pressure supply, this latter valve comprising a longitudinally-disposed plunger or stem 21 having fixed thereto within casing 20 a plurality of transversely disposed spaced-apart disks 22, 23, and 24 having at their periphery an air-tight fit with the Wall of casing 20 and providing within casing 20 air-chambers a, d, and 6. Threaded into and closing the lower end of casing 20 is a nut or cap 25 having a cup-shaped portion 26 adapted to "provide a seat for one end of a coiled spring 27 adapted to yieldingly maintain said slide-valve in its normally-closed or air-cutting ofi position, spring 27 at its other or upper end having engagement with the under face of lowermost valve-disk 24. At its upper or' projecting end, valve-stem 21 is provided with a head or enlargement 28, valve-stem 21 with its said disks having a limited longitudinal movement relatively to casing 20 and being manually or otherwise depressible against the tension of spring 27.

Fixed to, or forming part of, valve-casing 20, is an air-chamber 29 in open communication through a pipe or air-passage 30 with a suitable source of compressed air or other fluid under pressure supply, such as, for instance, a reservoir or tank 31 carried by the car, a transverse opening or pas sage, as at 32, in the wall of casing 2( providing normally open means of communication between chamber 29 and the interior of casing 20. This opening or passage-32, as shown particularly in Fig. 2, is so located relatively to the disks of said slide-valve that, when said valve is, under the tension being cut-01f by intermediate and lowermost disks 28 and 24, respectively.

Leading at one end from casing 20 and having its entrance-opening slightly above the plane of the upper face of intermediate valve-disk 23 when said valve is in its normal or closed position, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, is an air-pipe or passage 33 communicating at its other end with an airpassage 34: bored or otherwise provided in said thickened portion of upper chute-member 5, this air-passage 34, which is substantially a continuation or extension of airpipe or passage 33, extending in said thickened portion of chute-member 5 obliquely inwardly and downwardly into and through inner boss 16 and discharging on the under face thereof at a point directly above smaller portion 6 of valve-disk 10, whereby, on compressed air or otherfiuid under pressure flowing from said source of supply into said air-passage 33 and its continuation 34', the same will, on discharging therefrom directly upon said valve-disk portion 6, pneumatically swingably actuate valve-disk 10 against the weight of sand thereupon into open position, or into the position thereof shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, to permit sand from hopper 2 to pass through lower chute-member 6 on to the rail a, the continued supply of compressed air or other fluid under pressure so directed from airpassage 31 upon valve-disk 10 not only pneumatically maintaining said disk in open position, but also carrying the delivered sand therewith through lower chute-member 6 and its mouth 18 to the exterior. Also leading at one end from casing 20'and having its entrance-opening slightly below the plane of the under face of lowermost valvedisk 24 when said slide-valve is in its normal or closed position, as also clearly seen in Fig. 2,is an air-pipe or passage 35 communicating at its other end with an airpassage 36 bored or otherwise provided in said boss 15 and its continuation 17 this air-passage 36, which is likewise substantially an extension of air-pipe or passage 35, discharging directly intolower chute-member 6 at a point preferably some little distance below the upper end thereof and hence also below said valve-disk 10, as shown in Fig. 5.

In operation 'or use, on valve-stem 21 being depressed or actuated inwardly relatively to casing 20, lowermost disk 24 will be first carried past the entrance-opening of air-passage 35, when, through casingchainber (Z and port or opening 32, communication will beat once established, as seen in Fig. 3, between air-passage 35 and the source of compressed air supply, the compressed air or other fluid under pressure so supplied to air-passage 35 discharging into chute-member 6 and on its way to the exterior driving from said chute-member and its outlet or mouth 18 any sand which may have accumulated or otherwise lodged therein, thereby providing a clear channel or passage to the exterior for the sand soon to be delivered from hopper 2. Communication between air-passage 35 and the source of compressed air supply remains open and compressed air continues to flow through air-passage 35 into lower chute-member 6 until, on further depression of valve-stem 21. intermediate disk 23 is carried past or below ent1'anceport 32, when communica-j tion between the source of supply and said,

air-passage will be at once cut off and opened or established between the source of supply and said air-passage 33, as shown in Fig. 4., the compressed air from the source of supply now flowing therefrom into and through air-passage 33 and its continuation 3i and actuating said valve-disk 10 to, and

maintaining said disk in. open position, as

ber to clear the same of any sand or the like remaining therein, communication between the Source of supply and air-passage 35 being again cut oil" on valve-stem 21 with its said disks reaching normal position.

By my new track-sanding apparatus, as will be seen from the foregoing, I not only provide a sand-supply valve capable of being conveniently and readily pneumatically actuated to. and maintained in, open position by the motor-man or operator of the car to deliver sand to the rails when and as required. but am also enabled to deliver air-blasts into the throat or chute of the sand-hopper. both in advance of. and following. the charge of delivered sand, to provide a clear and unimpeded passage for the same to the rails. My new track-sanding apparatus, in all its several parts, may be economically manufactured and also readily installed on a car, and while my new sandingapparatus' is especially designed for street or electriccar service, yet it is to be understood that it is equally well adapted for steam railway use.

I am aware that changes in the form, construct-ion. arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my new track-sanding apparatus may be made and substituted for those herein shown and'described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of a disk swingable in. and normally closing, the throat of. said hopper, and means for pneumaticallv swinging said disk to open position; substantially as described.

2. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of an unbalanced disk pivotally swingable in, and normally closing, the throat of said hopper, and

means for pneumatically pivotally swinging said disk to open position; substantially as described.

3. In a track-sanding apparatus, the com bination with a sand-hopper, of an unbalanced disk pivotallyswingable in, and nor mally closing, the throat of said hopper, and means for pneumatically pivotally swinging said disk to open position, said means including an air-passage discharging upon the smaller part of said disk, and a valve for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to said air-passage; substantially as described.

4. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper. of an unbalanced disk pivotally swingable in, and normally closing, the throat of said hopper, an internal enlargement in the throat of said hopper above and covering the smaller part of said disk, and means for pneumatically pivotally swinging said disk to open position, said means including a valve-controlled air-passage extending through said enlargement and arranged to discharge obliquely upon the smaller part of said disk: substantially as described. 4

5. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a Sand-hopper, of a pneumatically operated valve normally closing the throat of said hopper, means for pneumatically operating said valve to open position, and means for supplying a blast of compressed air to the throat of said hopper beyond, and in advance of the opening of, said valve; substantially as described.

6. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of a pneumatically operated valve normally closing the throat of said hopper, means for pneumatically operating said valve to open position, and means for supplying a. blast of compressed air to the throat of said hopper beyond, and following the closing of, said valve; substantially as described.

7 In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of a pneumatically operated valve normally closing the' throat of said hopper, means for pneumatically operating said valve to open position, and means for supplying blasts of com- 9. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of a disk swingable in, and normally closing, the throat of said hopper, and means for pneumatically swinging said disk to open position and for supplying blasts of compressed air to the throat of said hopper beyond, and both in advance of the opening and following the closing or", said disk; substantially as described.

10. in a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of an unbalanced disk pivotally swingable in, and normally closing, the throat of said hopper, and means for pneumatically swinging said disk to open position and for supplying blasts of compressed air to the throat of said hopper beyond, and both in advance of the opening and following the closing of, said 4 disk, said means including an air-pipe discharging into the throat of said hopper upon the smaller part of said disk, a second air-pipe discharging into the throat of said hopper beyond said disk, and a valve for controlling the supply of compressed air in turn to each of said air-pipes; substantially as described.

11. In a tracksanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of an unbalanced disk pivotally swingable in, and normally closing, the throat of said hopper, a valve-casing, said casing being normally in open communication with a source of compressed air supply, anair-pipe from .said casing discharging into the throat of said hopper upon the smaller part of said disk, a second air-pipe from said casing discharging into the throat of said hopper beyond said disk, and a valve movable in said casing adapted to open and close communication in turn through said casing between said source of supply and said air-pipes; substantially as described.

12. In a track-sanding apparatus, the

combination with a sand-hopper, of an unbalanced disk pivotally swingable 1n, and

' normally closing, the throat of said hopper,

pressed air to the throat of said hopper beyond, and both in advance of the opening and following the closing of, said valve; substantially as described.

8. In a track-sanding apparatus, the com bination with a sand-hopper, of a pneumatically operated valve normally closing the throat of said hopper, and means for pneumatically operating said valve to open position and for supplying blasts of compressed air to the throat of said hopper beyond, and both in advance of the opening and following the closing of, said valve; substantially as described.

a valve-casing, said casing being normally in open communication w1th a source of compressed air supply, an air-plpe from said casing discharging into the throat of said hopper upon the smaller part of said disk, a second air-pipe from saidcasing discharging into the throat of said hopper beyond said disk, and a spring-pressed valve in said casing adapted to open and close communication through said casing in turn between said source of supply and said air-pipes, said valve including a stem longitudinally movable relatively to said casing, and a plurality ofspaced-apart disks transversely disposed within'said casing fixed to, and movable with, said stem; substantially as described. 13. In a track-sanding apparatus, the

combination with a sand-hopper, the throat of said hopper being provided with an internal boss reducing the normal bore there of, of an unbalanced disk pivotally' swingable in, and normally closing, the throat of said hopper, said disk when in normal position having its smaller portion disposed flatwise directly beneath said boss, and means for actuating said disk to open posifor delivering charges of compressed air successively, and at different points in, the throat of said hopper; substantially'as described.

16. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of means for delivering a charge of compressed air into, and at a certain point in, the throat of said hopper and for delivering another charge of compressed air into, and at a different point in, the throat of said hopper in advance, and prior to the delivery, of said first charge; substantially as described.

17. In a track sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of means for delivering a charge of compressed air into, and at a certain point in, the throat of said hopper and for delivering another charge of compressed air into, and at a different point in, the throat of said hopper following, and subsequent to, said first charge; substantially as described.

.18. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of means for delivering a charge of compressed air into, and at a certain point in, the throat ferent point in, the throat of saidjhopper,

respectively, in advance of, and following, said first charge; substantially asdescrib'edw 19. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination witha sand-hopper, of an airdelivery pipe leading into the throat of said hopper and discharging at a certain point therein, a second air-delivery pipe leadinginto the throat of said hopper and discharging at a different point therein, and means for controlling admission of compressed airf into said pipes successively; substantially-as described.

20. In a tracksanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of an airdelivery pipe leading into, and discharging at a certain point in, the throat of said 'hopper,'a second air-delivery pipe leading into, and discharging at a different point in, the throat of said hopper, and means for controlling admission of compressed air first into said second pipe, then into said first pipe, and then again intosaid second pipe; substantially as described.

21. In a track-sanding apparatus, the

combination with a sand-hopper, of an airdelivery pipe leading into, and discharging at a certain pointin, the throat of said hopper, a second air-delivery pipe leading into, and dischargingata different point in,

the throat of said hopper, and means for controlling admission of compressed air first into said second pipe, then into sa d first pipe, and then again into said second pipe,

said means including a valve adapted for manual manipulation to successively open and close the entrance-openings of" said pipes; substantially as described.

22. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand-hopper, of a'valvecasing normally in communication with a source of compressed air supply, an airpipe leading from said casing into, and discharging at a certain point in, the throat of said hopper, a second air-pipe leading from said casing into, and discharging at a different point in, the throat of said hopper, a stem lengthwise movable in said casing, and a plurality of spaced-apart members on said stem within said casing adapted to sue-'' cessively-open and close the entran'ce-opem ings of said pipes; substantially as deof said hopper and for delivering other, charges of compressed air into, and at a dif-' ALBERT H. oARfiEs.

Witnesses:

RUTH PETERSON, S. J. Bnnnmmmn. 

